What is the straight dope on Blue Box ?

[bordelond]

@gazpacho

Considering that Bloom Boxes are installed and running generating power now. The issue is are they cheap enough to compete with more traditional way of generating power.

60 Minutes reported that only one Bloom Box could be built per day. In the same broadcast, the company’s founder was explaining the manufacturing process … and he made it sound ridiculously easy. I guess the devil is in the details.

[Johnny_Angel]

More data, or at least more different.
Somewhat cheaper power, supposedly, but not at all green.

[friedo]

@ianzin

Everyone spent a lot of time speculating about the Steorn / Orbo device, and it was the subject of a few threads here on the Dope. I suggested just waiting to see how things panned out, and we now know that the whole Steorn thing is or was nonsense.

I’m not saying the Bloom Box is in the same category. And I’m not saying idle speculation can’t be harmless fun. But really, the same advice applies. All we know from the ‘60 Minutes’ piece is that someone has developed what they think is a radically innovative fuel cell that could significantly reduce energy costs. A lot of investment money has been sunk into it, and some big (= headline magnetic) companies have agreed to run trials. Give it some time, and we’ll know if it turns out to be signifcant or not.

No, we knew that Steorm was full of shit from the beginning. The Bloom Box is a proven design that works. What’s interesting is whether it will turn out to be cost-effective, and for whom.